New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-10
M1SIERS or THE FOILS.
FENCING AS PRACTlsED IN NETWORK.

|
| THE GRACEFUL AND ABBOTT MOVEMENTS OF
YOUNG CLUB MEN.
Last summer Charles De Kay of this town
travelling abroad. He spent a few weeks IL. France
and made the acquaintance of several agreeable
French gentlemen of title and fortune. In their efforts
to show Mr. De Kay all possible courtesy, they took
him to the Military School of Fencing at Jonyillee-
pont where the young members of sometime nobility
learn the of taking OF themselves in land
where resentments are quick and provocatons costly
They showed him how they did ii. Like Fitz James
who was trained abroad his arms to WELD, they
practised every pass and ward,
- TIC strike, to thrust, to TENT, to guard,
while the American ST. anger looked in apparently
wondering admiration They assured him 1t was @
noble sport useful not only in compelling i-tempered
people to clap stopper upon the safety OF their
emoti)ns, 50 to speak but useful in developing the
chest. shoulders and arms. They urged Mr.. De Kay
to learn to fence and the tuness OF their cordially
asked him il he wouldn't like then and there to Learn
how a toll. Mr.. De Kay, like the adventurous
American that he 49, told them in his choicest French
that he didn't mind il hs did. lie dotted his bgh hat
cutaway and his checked trousers and arsyed
himself in the puckskn sarb OF rar. They kindly
explained the whole matter to him, aud with WHY,
grim little Frerohman before him. Mr.. De Kay took
Ills position.
His antagonist smiled softly and lourished his foil
Then he pranced around little and smiled come
more Then he dourished again Then he reached out
his blade and touched that OF Mr.. De Kay. &C bokl
clack oickp Then he drew back and smiled few
Then his eyes 0rgh.ened and he shot out mis- arm
Mr. De Kay bent his wrist and the Frenchmans toll
went downward. He stopped smiling and began to
look ct Mr.. Do Kay. Then he thrust again. then he
lunged, then no got mad and began TO make things
whix. Click clsck cokl zp!| and the little
Frenchmans toll went whiring through the air
to ~ ard the other end OF the That flying toll
gave additional distinction the American stranger
rho historic honvrs paid by the Governor OF North
Caroliaa to the Governor of South Carolina wero
nothing to the consideration paid Mr. Do Kay after
that
There is now host of good fenoers in this city, So
attractive has the sport become that club, devoted
solely to its encouragement and practice upon a
thoroughly scientific basis, has been established and
is pursuing O successful career The entire house at
No. 10 West Twenty fourth-st. recently leased
tor ito occupancy, from 10 to the same hour
at night the clash OF opposing steel is almost contin
uously heard in the long parlors OF the club. pol
ished hardwood floor enables the tencers to maintain
u secure footing The walls are covered with savage
looking blades Rapiers, bsyOnets, broadswords,
cutlasses hang above the freplaces in orderly pro-
fusion. The Scotch tachion and the Turkish scimetar
cast eager CLEANS at each other. The broad sabre
and the thin, deadly poinard cross blade, wickedly
IL only waiting tor chance All around the room,
as a sort of architrayc decoration, aie hundreds OF
hanging tolls, while armored figures in the corners
recall the days when one gentleman's indigestion
could only be cured by another geuteman's lite
The club was started in 1888, and the out
growth of a school OF fencing kept by Captain Hip
polyte Nicolas an officer of the francoPrussian war
who came to America to see the Centennial Exhibi-
ton and found the country such tine that he
couldn't make up his mind to leave it. His classes
increased In numbers fast that some of their
beers pro ,,osed the establishment OF Fencers Club.
II was soon organized and now, with about l25
regular members all OF whom practise more or less
II has attaued the dignity Of permanent CLUB The
three most accomplished amateur tencers in New
York are NJ. NJ Rowland, b. +. UConnor, and WILL
III rhavla Ia
them closely. IL Is fine sport to watch Mr.. Rowland
and Mr. OConnor engage In friendly bout Mr.
OConnor is large and has wrist OF iron Mr.. How
a fash They whaok away at each other for ten |
minutes without either making hit The floor OF
the fencing room is almost sure TO be crowded from
D. till z, and the sight presented Is extremely
picturesque. The fencing garb was not designed tor
It's intrinsic beauty. 1t looks tribe than that
concealed by wire mask. Tough leather coats |
patterned in close imitation Of meal bag encloses the
projected with similar covering Captain Nicolas, |
who teaches the young and naturally energetic aud
AMBITIOUS bsgpnasr takes the OF iashus
brilliant ludirrous for the positions assumed
either the impersonation Of grace or awkwardness.
Tho man who knows how to do 1t looks exquisite as
savagey lunges daintily thrusts. as he deity |
parties OF determinedly guard.. But the nan who
TIE beauty OF the sport is the with which its
principles are acquired. very few lessons tour or
often sunlCent 10 enable man 10 stand
against old hauds. After that proficiency is matter
Of practice.
Among the constant trequenters of the club and
expert handlers OF the tolls are AmOry ). Carhart
Leslie Cotton. Coleman Drayton, Eugene Higgins,
Alexander Greger of the Russian Legation, Daniel |
Kilham Dodge, Karrick Riggs, Montgomery
Roosevelt, Murray MITCHELL NJ. Roosevelt |
Schuyler, DIN NJ Warner, Bernard Nadal, Chafes c. |
Nada Alfred l.. White Ii. o. Northoote. James Robb
Charles. latham, X. Mansfield White Edward sand,
ford and Rudolph f. SchTmer. Captain Nicolas is
prepared to back these men with good gold against
any American amateur who thinks he fence. |
IL easy" says the Captain with the shrug
contemptuous TO fence wiz 20 tongue but to fence
wiz blade 1t zing deehereut" Since the club |
secured its present quarters the sport has spread
tho ladies' Several classes OF ladies have been |
formed and receive instructions three times week. |
Tho captain suys they do beautifully" "Ze |
Americana lady she hat noooh dash, she not afraid |
wiz her hand Eat 1t get strong. Some OF ladies |
make, nh vat you say you mean 1t good ah, yes,
20 tur ~" The laws OF duolling have not so tar as
reported been construed a. applying to women. Who
knows but that even yct mag hear of une afare |
dhonneur" up among the sylvan groves of West
chester down Oh the dreary sands OF Long IslaLd
BOARDERS